Pala Empire (750-1161)

The Pala Empire temporarily stretched from Bengal to the Northeast of India, up to the borders of Kashmir. Buddhist-Hindu rulers paved the ground for the development of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in the area. Founding of B uddhist universities: Somapura, Odantapuri (2nd half 8th century), Vikramashila (~ 800, established by the Pala emperor Dharmapala in present day Bhagalpur district in Bihar), besides the famous site of Nalanda (existing already centuries before).